1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is concerned with a process and product wherein especially prepared pasta products may be canned and retorted without the usual severe loss of firmness and organoleptic properties associated with canned pastas. More particularly, it is concerned with such a process and product wherein the pasta includes respective quantities of 11S soy protein (as for example by addition of soy flour) and preferably a surfactant such as sodium stearoyl-2-lactylate. Retorting tests demonstrate that pasta processed in accordance with the present invention is superior in firmness as compared with conventional pastas.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Durum flour or semolina, soft and hard wheat flours or farinas mixed with water and extruded result in the multitude of products referred to as pasta. The simplicity of producing and storing these types of products has made pasta consumption more widespread in the world than bread. Because pasta products are generally dried below ten percent moisture they have an extremely long shelf life. This characteristic, along with high acceptability, makes pasta products ideal for nutritional enrichment and fortification.
Although the canning of different food items was originally intended to be strictly a method for food preservation, canning has also evolved as a form of convenience food. Many canned items need only be heated and served. A wide variety of canned pasta products fall into this category. However, the quality of such pasta products has generally been rather low. The high temperatures and long processing times involved in the retorting of canned pasta products has proven to be detrimental in that the products are excessively soft and moisture laden. Accordingly, canned pasta products have generally been considered a very poor substitute for pasta prepared in the traditional fashion.
It has been suggested in the past that surfactants be used in an attempt to increase the firmness of canned spaghetti. Current published data only describe the effects of monoglycerides on canned spaghetti (Winston, J. J., The use of distilled monoglycerides in macaroni products, The Macaroni J; 43(1):14 (1961)). In any event, it is believed that the use of monoglycerides in this context has not been significantly commercialized.
Soy protein products, primarily soy flour, soy protein concentrate, and soy protein isolate have found their way into a wide variety of food products, including pasta. In some products, these proteins are incorporated for desired functional purposes, while in other products, they are present only to improve the product from a nutritional standpoint. The use of soy proteins in certain contexts has resulted in adverse effects. This is particularly true of baked foods, where addition of soy proteins has been found to decrease loaf volume and crumb score. Although the use of soy flour or soy protein in pastas is attractive from a nutritional standpoint, the use of these materials as an additive to pastas has not become a widespread practice.